Major League Baseball has a solid 12-game DFS fantasy baseball slate to close out the work week and begin the first weekend of September. With expanded rosters and playoff races taking shape, every team has plenty of storylines to follow, and many bring some extra potential fantasy value to consider. The first pitch of Friday’s DFS slate is at 7:05 p.m. ET. While searching through the 24-team player pool, selecting the top MLB DFS value picks is key to maximizing your lineup’s production across the board. The right bargain plays can go off with big nights of their own while also saving significant salary cap to spend up in other spots in the lineup.
To help you as you search through the bargain bin, check out my three MLB DFS value picks in this post, who bring big upside despite their small salaries:
- SP Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox, $7,800: Matthews is 5-0 in his last six starts with a 3.25 ERA and 3.48 FIP, averaging 19.5 FPTS per game. He had 27.8 FPTS against the White Sox last Sunday and will look to pick up where he left off in that stellar outing last Sunday.
- OF Lazaro Montes, Seattle Mariners vs. Athletics, $3,300: Despite swing-and-miss, Montes brings plenty of raw power after hitting 38 home runs in with a .399 wOBA and .309 ISO in the minors. He had 10 HR in August and already hit one in the MLB coming into a very favorable home matchup
- 2B/3B Nick Loftin, Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, $3,100: Montes has been a steady producer, hitting safely in nine of his last 10 games and posting 9.3 FPTS per game by going 12-for-37, with three doubles, two homers, and a stolen base.
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Top MLB DFS Value Plays
SP Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox, $7,800
Matthews has won five straight starts and has been especially dominant in his three most recent outings, allowing just one earned run in each of those games and producing 19.2, 27.0 and 27.8 FPTS in wins over the Braves, A’s, and White Sox. He’ll get a rematch with the White Sox again on Friday night after holding them to five hits and one run over 8 1/3 innings last Sunday. He left in the ninth inning with a shutout intact, but the bullpen allowed that one run to score after he departed.
Matthews has a 3.25 ERA and 3.48 FIP over his last six starts, with an average of 19.5 FPTS per game over that span. He had a 10-strikeout game to start that six-game stretch, showing his punchout potential, but he only had five strikeouts in his last start against the White Sox. Even though his strikeout production has been a little inconsistent, his recent success and his strong last start in this same matchup make him a great play under $8,000 on Friday night’s slate.
The 26-year-old righty has taken some time to adjust to the MLB, but his excellent control and savvy approach are starting to yield results in his last few outings. The Twins start the weekend three games behind the Guardians for the final AL Wild Card spot, and Matthews will look to help them start the week with a strong showing to start to close that gap.
OF Lazaro Montes, Seattle Mariners vs. Athletics, $3,300
Montes has stepped right into a productive role for the Mariners, although his strikeout rate remains high as well. The 21-year-old lefty smashed 38 home runs in his 123 games in Double-A and Triple-A with a .399 wOBA and .309 ISO. He hit 10 home runs in August to earn his call-up for his MLB debut on Monday.
Montes kept right on raking, going 2-for-5 with a home run on his way to 23 FPTS in his debut. He was out of the lineup Tuesday but returned Wednesday and went 1-for-5 with another RBI for 5 FPTS. He did strike out four times in those two games and his 31% K% at Triple-A shows he still has lots of room for growth before he’s ready to be a consistent option in the MLB.
However, at this salary, he brings lots of upside in his home debut as the M’s face righty Kade Morris ($5,000) and the A’s beleaguered bullpen. The 24-year-old Morris is 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA in his 14 2/3 innings in the MLB this season. Lefties like Montes are 15-for-33 (.455) against him in his limited MLB work with three homers and a .540 wOBA. In Friday’s favorable spot, Montes is a “swing for the fences” option in today’s MLB DFS Value Picks.
2B/3B Nick Loftin, Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays, $3,100
Loftin and the Royals are in a favorable matchup against Jameson Taillon ($5,800), who is coming off the IL after dealing with right forearm tendinitis. Coming into the matchup, Loftin has been very consistent lately, hitting safely in nine of his last 10 games and going 12-for-37 (.324), with three doubles, two homers, and a stolen base to average 9.3 FPTS per contest.
The 27-year-old righty had a double and a home run in last weekend’s series in Toronto, and he’ll look to continue his roll against the Jays and Taillon this Friday night. Loftin doesn’t typically produce a ton of hard-hit balls or bring lots of raw power, like Montes does, but his consistent contact and the potential for a high-scoring game give him decent upside and nice positional versatility for Friday night’s lineup construction. He’s a solid option with a high floor in Friday’s MLB DFS Value Picks.
